A Generation at the End of its Tether Fights Back.

Photo by Geoff Dexter via flickr
Today activists from across the UK stage what may well be the biggest coordinated display of direct action in years. From Dundee to Truro, Cardiff to Cambridge and in dozens of other towns and cities over the country students will walk out of schools, colleges and universities in protest at swinging cuts and the effective privatisation of much of our tertiary education system.

As I write this 25,000 students are signed up to take part on the national demonstration facebook page, and many more have signed up to local actions.

In Edinburgh there’ll be study-in at Lib Dem HQ (by Haymarket) at 2pm. Students will march from Bristo Square at 1pm or the Bank of Scotland at Tollcross at 1.30pm. Bring a book to read, a copy of the Lib Dem pledge to oppose fees (available here) to post back to them and your own placards.

In Glasgow the walk-out has been called for midday, from there meet at the Royal Concert Hall steps on Buchanan Street at 3pm for a rally in George Square at 5pm with speakers including Dave Moxham (STUC), Pete Murray (NUJ), Phil Whyte (NUS).

In Dundee, where there are plans to axe 200 jobs, the walkout will take place at 11am. As they say “everyone from Education is welcome, schools, colleges and universities, workers, staff and students!”

And to everyone planning to take part in action tomorrow you probably won’t need it, but just in case, here is a legal briefing document put together by the Green and Black Cross legal team. If anyone is taking part in an occupation or protest tomorrow please print this out and have it with you so you know your rights. They’ve also some other good resources worth checking out, so have a look.

The NUS and UCU organised march in London and the spontaneous display of anger at 30 Millbank two weeks ago were only the start. Already a second day of direct action has been called for the 30th of November and before the first has even happened hundreds have signed up to attend. This campaign won’t be won in a day, we need sustained and escalating action until the coalition realise that this attack on our future will not succeed.

We are a generation being condemned to a lifetime of debt, unaffordable housing and a lack of decent jobs and we’re not going to take it lying down.